A Favour

POV: Lex

I knocked on the frame of the Torch office door to see the blonde head of Chloe Sullivan perk up at the sight of me.

"Mr Luthor, what brings your expensive self to Smallville High?" She's already mocking me and I've only been here for about five seconds, "Clark's not here," oh, sounds like her and Clark aren't the best of friends at the moment.

"Should it matter how much I'm worth? Anyway. Please, call me Lex. And I wasn't after Clark, I was actually looking for you, Miss Sullivan."

"Call me Chloe. So what can I do for you, Lex?" she asks putting emphasis on my name. Her hate for me radiates so strongly I feel surprised she hasn't kicked me out of here. I advance in her direction, and place a chair near her,

"Do you mind?"

"No, go ahead. So why are you here?"

I take a seat facing her computer screen, "I've heard how a good a reporter you are, and I wanted to put your skills to the test," I skim the front page of tomorrows edition of the Torch – she works hard for this futile high school paper, "I have a friend I need you to look up," she scrunches up her face and gives me a suspicious look. She thinks I'm up to something. All I want is her help.

"What's the catch?"

"What makes you think there's a 'catch'?" I'm almost hurt by that remark.

"You're a Luthor."

"I hoped you'd do it as a favour to me," again she gives me that look, like I have an ulterior motive. I rise from my seat turning away from her – I can't stand the way she looks into my eyes, it does something to me. I pocket my hands. She's moving. I bet she's standing right behind me.

"What I don't understand is why you're asking for my help."

I face her, eye to eye – hers bright while mine remain cold with an innocent glitter by a floating fantasy.

"I do have my own sources, unfortunately they were incompetent. But with your drive and intelligence I believe you'd never leave a job half done. I admire that."

"I'm flattered. Really I am -"

I cut her off, "Good. The name is Gwendolyn George in Metropolis."

POV: Chloe

I let him walk all over me. I can't believe it, first Clark now Lex Luthor. Now I'm stuck doing his dirty work, I bet this Gwen is an ex-girlfriend no doubt. Or maybe some pathetic one night stand. He did her and left her. It must be quite quick with a Luthor, I bet sex doesn't involve much. He probably likes to do it in alleyways, or with cameras filming it so if they ever bother him again he can blackmail them with the tape – why the hell am I thinking about where Lex has sex?

POV: Lex

Driving fast down the open, cornfield-by-the-side-of-the-roads of Smallville. I want to escape. I don't want Gwen living with me. She's too much – she's everywhere. She spoke to my father, my father! I barely know her and she already feels like a spy – this could be my father's doing. He set me up. He's trying to distract me from doing my job.

I decide to slow down by the side of a deserted road. I take my cell phone out and think about calling Chloe – wonder if she's found a match. Damn, I don't have her number. I could phone Clark, but I doubt she'd want to hear my voice. Forget about it. I slam my fist against my steering wheel.